Leaving do ideas

A leaving do is one of the few work events people genuinely remember, and the difference between a good one and an awkward one is almost entirely organisation: who speaks, how long for, and whether the card got signed in time.

Below are ideas for every kind of send-off - a ten-minute one in the office, an afternoon in the pub, a meal out - plus the etiquette around collections and speeches.

First rule: ask the person leaving what they want. Some want a room full of people and a speech; some want a card and a quiet drink with four colleagues.

In-office send-offs (free to £30)

• Cake and cards at 3pm, ten minutes, everybody stands up.
• Breakfast send-off with pastries, so nobody has to stay late.
• Signed card plus a short speech from their manager and one from a peer.
• A memory board - a printed photo and a line from everyone.
• Coffee run on the company, and an early finish on their last day.
• A pin badge or keepsake handed over rather than posted after they've gone.

Out of the office (£10-£40 a head)

• Pub from 5pm, first round covered by the collection.
• Lunch out on their last working day, so nobody has to arrange evening childcare.
• Bowling, crazy golf or a games bar - easier than standing in a circle.
• Afternoon tea, which suits a team that isn't a drinking crowd.
• Their favourite restaurant, booked by whoever knows them best.
• A walk and coffee, for a small team or a quiet leaver.

The running order that works

• Get everyone in the room before you start - don't begin with half the team on a call.
• Manager speaks first, two to three minutes, one specific story.
• One peer speaks, two minutes maximum, no in-jokes that exclude the room.
• Hand over the card and gift together.
• The leaver says something if they want to - and isn't made to if they don't.
• Photo, then food. Total: fifteen minutes.

Collection and gift etiquette

• Keep the collection anonymous and optional, with no suggested amount over £5.
• Never chase individuals - one message to the group, once.
• Say what the money went on when you hand the gift over.
• Split it: a proper gift plus something small and personal beats one big generic item.
• New starters and part-timers should never feel obliged to contribute.
• If you're short, a good card and a genuine speech is worth more than a rushed gift.

Card timing and wording

• Start the card two days early - the biggest single cause of a half-signed card is starting on the day.
• Keep it out of sight of the person leaving, obviously, and out of the open-plan sightline.
• Ask people to write one specific memory, not just 'good luck'. Shop this card
• Leave the middle for the manager and closest colleagues.
• Take a photo of the inside before you seal it - the leaver often wants it later.

Difficult leaving dos

• Redundancy: no balloons. A card, a genuine speech and a quiet drink.
• Someone who was pushed: keep it short, keep it warm, don't pretend.
• Retirement after decades: mark the years properly with a keepsake, not a jokey gift.
• A remote colleague: post the card in time, and hold the send-off on a call with cameras on.
• Someone who hates attention: hand over the card at their desk with two people, not twenty.

Shop leaving & retirement cards

Banners, toppers and confetti for the office

Decorations that take ten minutes to put up and photograph well.

How to write it so it lands

• Ask the leaver what they actually want.
• Card out two days early.
• Two speakers, five minutes total.
• Say what the collection paid for.

Where to shop next

• Work party ideas hub
• Work party invite wording
• Office party themes and decorations
• Leaving do ideas
• Office birthday ideas
• Team building ideas
• Work Christmas party ideas
• Work Christmas party planning guide
• Office Christmas party games
• Leaving card messages for a colleague
• Work colleague leaving gift ideas
• Office party ideas
• Work party games
• Christening party ideas
• Communion quiz questions
• Naming ceremony themes
• Religious milestones hub
• Congratulations messages
• Congratulations on your promotion
• Work anniversary messages
• Thank you messages for your boss
• New job card messages
• New job gift ideas
• New job cards
• Promotion cards
• Secret Santa gift ideas
• Secret Santa rules
• Buy party supplies
• Bunting & banners
• Table confetti
• Cake toppers
• Pin badges
• Retirement cards
• Christmas cards
• Celebration ideas
• Retirement party decorations
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas

Frequently asked questions

What are good leaving do ideas?

Cake and cards in the office at 3pm, a pub afternoon from 5pm, lunch out on their last working day, or bowling or a games bar for a team that hates standing in a circle. Ask the leaver which they'd prefer.

How much should you give for a work leaving collection?

£3 to £5 is the usual ask in a UK office. Keep it anonymous and optional, never name a minimum above £5, and never chase people individually.

How long should a leaving speech be?

Two to three minutes from the manager and two from one peer. Anything longer loses the room. One specific story beats a list of achievements.

When should you start the leaving card?

Two days before the do. Cards started on the morning of the send-off end up half signed, and the person who was on annual leave never gets a chance.

What do you do for a leaving do after a redundancy?

Keep it low key - a card, a short and genuine speech, and a quiet drink. No banners, no jokey gifts, and no pretending it was their choice.